


All Frankie Wants For Christmas is a Stepstool

by Ourladyofresurrection



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Crush, Fluffity fluff, Frank is smol, Frerard, Gerard is cute, M/M, Size Difference, obviously
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 18:52:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18900583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ourladyofresurrection/pseuds/Ourladyofresurrection
Summary: Prompt! : “I can’t reach the Christmas decorations on the shelf and you look tall, can you help me?”





	All Frankie Wants For Christmas is a Stepstool

Frank frowned, staring up at the top shelf in a disgruntled fashion.

It was times like these, (as if he wasn't always wishing for an extra few inches), that Frank wished he wasn't 5'6. He knew he should have worn his lifted heel boots today, but of course, he thought 'what's the worst that could happen if I didn't wear them?'

Well, staring belligerently at a slab of mere perforated chipping metal attached with a few screws and bolted to the aisle, he got his answer.

How fucking embarrassing.

He tried to stand on his tiptoes, but even still, it was a close call, Frank was known for his accident-prone-ness and Frank really didn't want to end his day sprawled out across the dusty linoleum floors  
during the busiest time of the year, people stepping over—or better yet, on—his limp body.

He looked around for some tall customer to aid him in his reach for the coveted Christmas decorations on the fifty shelf, but of course, this aisle just happened to be empty.

He considered walking around for awhile, then returning in twenty minutes when hopefully there would be someone walking in the aisle he could casually ask to grab the item for him, but after checking his watch, he saw he only had fifteen minutes give or take until the store closed altogether.

He rubbed at the bridge of his nose, frustration burning hot on the back of his neck, skin prickling. He didn't even want the damn Christmas decorations, he was more of a Halloween guy, but his best friend Jamia was a Christmas fiend, and gave Frank those damn puppy dog eyes, asking him to please, oh pretty please get the twinkly lights.

He sighed, tugging on his sweater sleeve and looking around for something, anything to help boost him up or spontaneously grow about three inches, and was about to call it quits, tell Jamia that he'd make it up to her some other way, until his eyes landed on a giant supported triangle-shaped ladder leaning against the aisle.

Jackpot, he thought triumphantly to himself, striding over towards it, rolling it over to where he needed to reach. He held it in place, steadying himself as he tentatively stepped on the first step.

He hesitated a moment, images of him spilled across the ground over a pool of blood, all because of his shortness and refusal to ask for help, but quickly decided that whatever wrath Jamia might inflict on him upon returning empty handed might be much worse.

So he turned his gaze back to the ladder and was about to take another step when a voice stopped him.

"Hey, that's for employees only, you know."

Frank whirled his body around to face the voice, and the man that it came from, the wheels on the ladder that had once been convenient forsaking him as the entire structure started to roll. 

"Fuck," the man cursed, grabbing the railing before it could fall over, falling on top of the customer, crushing him.

The ladder stilled, and Frank exhaled in relief, holding a hand to his chest, "Thanks."

"My pleasure," the man drawled lazily, his speech only coming from one side of his mouth, which he clearly favoured, which Frank recognized as a habit from nursing a cigarette between his lips frequently, "it would be a shame to see such a pretty face all smashed up."

Frank blushed like some kind of fucking schoolgirl, despite his desperate pleads at his body to not embarrass him for the second time today.

"Besides," the man said, looking at Frank with a smile, "any doctor bills from accidents on the job come out of my pay check."

Frank laughed, taking a better look at the man's face. He was young, maybe a little older than Frank, his long black hair falling smoothly over his forehead, the ends of it flipping up choppily over his shoulders. He had eyes that were a mix of greens and browns, a cheeky smile on his face.

He wore a black button up and black jeans under the red Christmas smock that the employees were required to wear, and he was really, really cute.

"So," the man said, breaking Frank out of his trance, "are you gonna stand there staring or are you going to tell me why you climbed onto something that is—" he stopped to flip up and down the warning sign attached to the side, "clearly for employees only."

Frank was worried for a scolding, but the man seemed more amused than anything, grinning up at him as he leaned his arm casually on the ladder's side,

"I'll have you know, I didn't actually see the sign," Frank started, shooting the man a look.

The guy laughed, "And if you had seen it...would that have stopped you?"

Frank frowned, his cheeks growing pink again, "Probably not."

The cute boy chuckled, "I knew it. So why were you climbing up there, the shelves aren't that high, you know."

Frank frowned, crossing his arms defensively that made him look more like a petulant toddler than an intimidating force of nature, "Well, maybe for you, smart-ass, but some of us are short...and I really need twinkly Christmas lights for my friend."

The employee stared at Frank for a minute before bursting out into laughter, "Okay, how's this? If you step down, I'll get you those lights. My boss, Brian is making his rounds right now trying to shoo out the stragglers so he can go home, and I really don't want you getting yelled at."

Frank huffed, silently flustered at the fact the guy cared so much that he would prevent him from facing the wrath of his boss.

He stepped down from the stairs, which the black-haired boy grinned crookedly at, "Good boy."

Frank coughed, trying desperately to tame the fire that had ignited in his cheeks.

The boy pushed aside the rolling ladder, "I don't need it," he assured Frank, reaching up to grab the lights.

"Show-off," Frank muttered.

The boy actually heard, giggling as he handed the small box to Frank. Now that they were both on level ground, he looked Frank up and down. 

"Man, you weren't kidding, you really are short," he laughed, remarking that he had a solid three inches on the boy.

"I—shut up," Frank muttered abashedly.

"Aw, I think it's cute," the guy winked.

Frank blushed, wanting to finish up this interaction before he further gave away his stupid crush, "Well, thanks for the help..." he stared at him dumbly, realizing he never asked for his name.

The boy laughed, tapping the name tag fastened to his smock, "Gerard," he told Frank, "and you are?"

"Frank," Frank said, trying to will away the embarrassment he felt that he never thought to check Gerard's name tag.

"Frank...does Frankie work?" Gerard smiled warmly.

Frank fumbled, only his past girlfriends and boyfriends had called him Frankie before, "I—yeah sure, that works. Really well, actually."

Gerard giggled again, "You know, Frankie, you don't have to be so nervous around me, it's Brian you should be worried about. I once saw him pour out someone's coffee right in front of them for taking too long on their lunch break."

Frank gaped, "No way, if someone took my coffee, I think I'd punch them."

Gerard laughed, "Noted. And your feelings are understandable, my caffeine addiction has reached the point of no return, I'm practically the Energizer bunny at this point."

Frank laughed, "That's a cute analogy."

Gerard shrugged, smiling toothily, "What can I say?"

Suddenly, a man with thinned out muttonchops and gelled black hair rounded the corner, looking at Gerard pointedly, sparing a fleeting glance at Frank. One quick look at his smock told Frank this must be Brian, as if he needed any more confirmation. He looked like the kind of guy to pour out someone's coffee.

"Gerard," he started, "you know the drill, clear out the stragglers! Ring the boy up, will ya, I've got things to do and places to be!"

"Like what?" Gerard probed cheekily, "a FIFA match and nachos...maybe a six pack followed by a crash on the couch?"

Brian shook his finger at him, "Watch it, Way, don't make me dock your pay."

Gerard giggled as he walked away, "Alright straggler, let's go," he said, tugging at Frankie's arm as he lead him to the cash register.

Frank couldn't help but notice how strong Gerard's grip was, and where else that might be come in handy. By the time they got to the cash register, he felt really, really hot.

"Is that all today?" Gerard asked, smiling at Frank from his place behind the counter.

"Uh, yeah," he said as Gerard bagged his item.

Gerard handed him his bag, smiling at him. Frank went to reluctantly leave before Gerard stopped him.

"Hey, Frankie, I might be going off on a limb here but...would you like to go out for coffee? My shift ends in five minutes, so our caffeine will be safe from Brian, I promise."

"Can't promise that!" Brian called from a few aisles over.

Gerard shook his head, laughing.

Frank couldn't believe his ears, the cute boy just asked him out for coffee? "Coffee?" Frank repeated dumbly.

"Yeah," Gerard smiled, "I mean, I figure it's the least that I can do, you know, considering your near-death from me scaring you while on the employee ladder."

Frank flushed, both at the prospect of a date and at his clumsiness, "I...I would really like that. Can we, please?"

Gerard giggled, "You're cute."

Frank scratched his head, "Is that a yes or..."

Gerard smiled, "You do I realize I was the one who asked you out?"

Frank flushed furiously, "Oh...right."

Gerard laughed again, he had a cute laugh, "You ready?"

"I uh- yeah," Frank stuttered.

Gerard grabbed his keys, untying his smock, "Awesome, c'mon."

He grabbed Frank's hand and held it in his own, Frank's heart beating fast at the gesture as Gerard thumb traced over the back of his hand.

He sat in the passenger side of Gerard's Subaru, smiling to himself as Gerard turned the key, grinning at Frankie.

Frankie already had a feeling this was going to be the best Christmas present ever.


End file.
